Nothing less than ten sprinters ran under 10 seconds yesterday in the series of the 100 meters
at the Trials of the United States, held at the ultra-fast track of Hayward Field (Eugene, Oregon).
In the women's event, six broke the barrier of eleven seconds, and in the long jump, ten men landed beyond eight meters. The wind, as it sometimes happens in this venue, was a protagonist. It blew at times with hurricane force (+4.9), but sometimes it granted truces that some athletes took advantage of.
The fastest in that preliminary round was Remontay McClain, who won the third series with 9.82, three hundredths ahead of Tyson Gay, helped by a gale of 4.9 meters per second. Valid records for the competition, but that will not enrich the rankings.
There were moments when the wind became a breeze, oases of peace that were seized by some athletes. Thus, in the fourth series, the 19-year-old Trayvon Bromell won with 9.84, his best personal record, with a favorable wind of only 1.3. Quentin Butler followed (9.96). In the second series, the breeze was also legal (+1.7), and the best were Michael Rodgers (9.92), Diondre Batson (9.94), and Beejai Lee (9.99). Butler, Batson, and Lee made their marks below ten seconds for the first time. The semifinals and the final promise to be exciting.
In the women's event, the athletes with the best times were Carmelita Jeter and Jasmine Todd, who both clocked 10.87 with a wind of 4.5 in the second of the preliminary series. Tianna Bartoletta finished third (10.89). Jenna Prandini (10.90, with +3.0), English Gardener (10.92, with 2.1), and Jeneba Tarmoh (10.97, with 2.1) also ran under eleven seconds.
Another explosion of records occurred in the long jump. Marquis Dendy landed at 8.68 meters, helped by a wind of 3.7, but Jeffrey Anderson reached 8.44, with a slightly opposing breeze of -0.3. Michael Hartfield also had excessive wind (8.42, with 2.5).
In the men's 10,000 meters final, Galen Rupp emerged as the winner (28:11.61), an athlete who is clearly pointed out as a beneficiary of the presumed doping plan of his coach, the Cuban-American Alberto Salazar. And in shot put, Michelle Carter achieved a great record, coming close to the United States record of 20.24 set by herself in 2013 with a throw of 20.02.
This morning, the Trials continue, from which the American team that will compete in the Beijing World Championships starting on August 20th will be determined.